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Ho... ho! Santa's here
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Santas have a great time too
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Hopie Osborne Daniells playing Santa Claus.
Santa Claus's familiar Ho! Ho! Ho! is in the air. Plump and pink Santas, in red and white are seen on bicycles, rickshaws, at corners and on pavements.
A tradition
Far from their icy cold homes in Greenland, the Santas in Kerala are busy maintaining a tradition that started with Saint Nicholas. Despite several new-age heroes the popularity of Santa has not dimmed. Although they have changed from the original roly-poly men to stout ones or gym-toned ones sans a paunch, with a half hearted get-up of a scraggly, white beard and scary mask on, they continue to fascinate us.
Says Mahesh, who plays Santa for an event company, "We do it because we get paid well for just distributing sweets for a day. We don't really get into the whole character as before." But nevertheless Santa can be quite content that his charm has not been eroded by such contingencies. For there still exist grandfatherly figures, round whom the kids try to wind their tiny hands, kiss his rosy cheeks and tug at his overflowing beard.
Professional Santa
One such professional Santa for the last 20 years is Hopie Osborne Daniells.
"Well, luckily I have been naturally endowed and I don't even need the occasional pillow to camouflage a stomach. I use only make-up and no mask. My beard is from Australia. It was specially bought for me and it is the softest flowing one hereabouts." He has been in and around hotels and Christmas celebrations, doling out surprise gifts to young and old alike, sweeping little ones off their feet and enacting the customary hug-and-kiss routine with aplomb and finally fulfilling the long scrolls of wishes of wonderstruck kids.
"Its an indescribable feeling when you see kids look at you with so much thrill and surprise, wanting you to pat them and shower them with the much wanted attention that they yearn for after listening to tales of Christmas. Since we were also children once upon a time, I can understand what they experience when they see a supposedly fictional character appear in person before them."
Aneesh, another person who impersonates Santa, says, "When we have to emulate Santa we do it knowing fully well the response of our audience. You just get into the garb and you suddenly become everyone's favourite."
Moreover, once these costumes are slipped on you are unrecognizable. Says Hopie, "Once I am into the costume no one can recognises me." Most of them have sweet memories of their tryst with Santa.
Says Mahesh, "Last time, when we went from door-to-door gifting people tokens, most of the families looked upon us as lucky harbingers. They felt that it was auspicious to welcome home a Santa. Many of them believe that it brings them good luck for a happy new year."
So let the spirits flow, hark the tinkling tunes of Santa's bells and let Santa spread the cheer of Christmas. Something that he has been doing for so many years.
RAKHEE MOHAN
Photo: Paul Noronha
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Madurai
Mangalore
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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